The European Conservatives and Reformists’ decision to hold the party’s board meeting in Washington comes at a time of intense debate between the United States and the European Union. Yet the ECR continues to raise its ambitions.
Alongside technical discussions on the most consequential issues shaping Europe’s future, the gathering has also focused on a broader vision for the EU: how conservative policies can help correct the mistakes of recent years, rethink priorities such as migration, overcome the legacy of the Green Deal, and lay the foundations for reforms within NATO, while recognizing the strategic importance of critical sectors.
Decode39 spoke with Carlo Fidanza by phone from Washington.
Q: The decision to hold the ECR board meeting in Washington comes amid an evolving debate between the United States and the European Union. How do European conservatives see the future of the transatlantic relationship?
A: We all need to make an effort to realign our strategic agendas. The real challenge, for both Europe and the United States, is called China. We must strengthen our industrial cooperation, starting with defense and security in the broadest sense, stabilize trade relations by reducing tensions, and work together to bring geopolitical crises to an end.
- Too often, parts of the American right describe Europe as a continent that has already been lost—because of declining industrial competitiveness, a cultural identity overwhelmed by woke ideology, and an inability to manage migration. Part of our role here has been to explain that Europe can still be revitalized and become a stronger partner for the United States by embracing conservative policies.
Q: Critical raw materials and the energy transition have become central issues for policymakers. How is the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act progressing, and what contribution has the ECR made to improving the legislation?
A: Next week the European Parliament will vote on its position, and we have played an important role in simplifying the legislation by reducing bureaucratic burdens and compliance costs for companies involved in the extraction and recycling of critical materials. But we also need to look beyond Europe. Achieving full European self-sufficiency in this field is simply not realistic in the short term. If we want to reduce our dependence on China, we need to build secure value chains together with like-minded partners.
- That is why the Italian government is working to join the U.S. strategy known as Pax Silica as soon as possible. Here in Washington, we discussed it directly with its architect, Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary at the U.S. State Department. This complements Italy’s engagement in Africa through the Mattei Plan, as well as the EU’s growing network of free trade agreements, which increasingly place critical raw materials at the center.
Q: The Mediterranean and the Gulf are becoming increasingly interconnected, not only because of the Iran crisis. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has proposed an innovative GCC–Mediterranean forum. How can such a framework be built?
A: Prime Minister Meloni was the only foreign leader invited to the latest GCC summit, and she was also the first Western leader to travel to the Arabian Peninsula to express solidarity with the countries that were unjustifiably attacked by Iran. Italy has a natural geopolitical projection into the broader Middle East.
- This region is essential for our energy security, our access to critical raw materials, the stabilization of Africa, the fight against human trafficking, and the development of new trade routes such as the IMEC corridor, which we hope can move forward again once hostilities involving Iran come to an end. Italy has both the strategic vision and the right leadership to build a genuine partnership with the countries of the Gulf and the Mediterranean, restoring a strategic presence that has been lost over decades.
Q: What are the ECR’s long-term ambitions? Could the party one day aspire to lead the European Commission or the European Council?
A: Today we count on three prime ministers—from Italy, Belgium, and Latvia—and we are part of governing majorities in several other member states. More importantly, Giorgia Meloni has demonstrated her ability to bring together leaders from across the political spectrum, as we have seen with Europe’s shift on migration policy. Our role in Brussels is to bring together the votes of all political groups that offer an alternative to the left.
- Through what has been called the “Giorgia majority,” we are correcting many of the mistakes made during the previous parliamentary term. Looking ahead, we remain convinced that European voters will continue shifting to the right, giving us even greater strength both in Parliament and in the Council. We are setting no limits on our ambitions.
Q: On migration, the so-called “Giorgia majority” has emerged within the EU. What results has it delivered, and how can that coalition be expanded to other policy areas?
A: This alignment is the only viable path if we want to build a Europe that is more pragmatic, more supportive of businesses, and better equipped to protect its citizens. We should apply the same approach to the main Green Deal dossiers that are now on the table. Take the automotive sector, which has been severely damaged by the ideology of an “all-electric” transition, or the forthcoming reform of the EU Emissions Trading System, where we need bold decisions rather than temporary fixes.
- Recent history has shown that whenever the European People’s Party chooses to address these issues together with the left, the outcome is disappointing. Quite simply, those who created the problem cannot also be expected to solve it. Europe cannot afford to waste time. Global competition is accelerating, and it leaves no room for hesitation. The deindustrialization of our continent is not a future we are willing to accept, and we will do everything we can to prevent it.
